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The Effect of Normal Stress Oscillations on Fault Slip Behavior Near the Stability Transition From Stable to Unstable Motion

Journal Article · · Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2023jb027470· OSTI ID:2538738
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [2]
  1. La Sapienza Università di Roma (Italy); Pennsylvania State University
  2. La Sapienza Università di Roma (Italy)
  3. La Sapienza Università di Roma (Italy); Université de Côte d’Azur, Valbonne (France)
  4. La Sapienza Università di Roma (Italy); Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA (United States)
  5. La Sapienza Università di Roma (Italy); Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV), Rome (Italy)
+ Show Author Affiliations
Tectonic fault zones are subject to normal stress variations with a wide range of spatio-temporal scales. Stress perturbations cover a wide range of frequencies and amplitudes from high frequency seismic waves generated by earthquakes to low frequency transients associated with solid Earth tides. These perturbations can reactivate critically stressed faults and trigger earthquakes. Here, we describe lab experiments to illuminate the physics of such changes in friction and the mechanics of earthquake triggering and fault reactivation. Friction tests were done in a double direct shear configuration for conditions near the stability transition from stable to unstable motion. We studied simulated fault gouge composed of quartz powder and conducted experiments at reference normal stress from 10 to 13.5 MPa. After shearing to steady state sliding, we applied sinusoidal normal stress oscillations of amplitude 0.5–2 MPa, and period of 0.5–50 s. We performed numerical simulations using measured values of rate and state friction (RSF) parameters to assess our data. Our results show that low frequency stress oscillations cause a Coulomb-like response of shear strength that transitions from stable slip to slow lab earthquakes as frequency increases. At the critical frequency predicted by RSF we observe periodic stick-slip behavior. Perturbations of high amplitude and short period weaken the fault, while lower amplitudes strengthen the fault. We find that a modified RSF formulation is able to accurately match our laboratory data. Our findings highlight the complex effects of stress perturbations on fault strength and the mode of fault slip.
Research Organization:
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Geothermal Technologies Office
Grant/Contract Number:
EE0008763
OSTI ID:
2538738
Journal Information:
Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 129; ISSN 2169-9313
Publisher:
American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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